Happy New Year! Before we pop champagne and toast to a better year next year, we have a look back at all the Royal Caribbean news from this week to share.

Earlier this week, The Port of Galveston said they have been told by Royal Caribbean plans for a new cruise terminal are still a go for 2021.

During the monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of Galveston Wharves, the Port of Galveston reported that Cruise Terminal 3 is still scheduled to begin construction in April 2021 so that it can be ready to open in October 2022. 

The new Terminal 3 in Galveston will be built on 10 acres of land at Pier 10, and will be used exclusively by Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean News

• A new report says Empress of the Seas has been sold to an Indian cruise line.
• Royal Caribbean Group Announces $40M “Pay It Forward” Program to Support its Travel Advisors.
• Top 10 Royal Caribbean news stories of 2020.
• Royal Caribbean CEO offers holiday message of hope to guests.
• A new study found most people would be willing to go back on a cruise ship.
• Cruise lines were left out of new stimulus bill again.
• Photos: Royal Caribbean cruise ship celebrates Christmas at sea.
• Royal Caribbean files motion to keep volcano eruption lawsuits in Australian courts.
• A new pre-cruise sale is running through the first week of January.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 386th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, featuring an interview with two Royal Caribbean executives discussing the legacy of Empress and Majesty of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean announced it has sold two cruise ships, and this week, Ken Rush and Raimund Gschaider join me to say farewell to Majesty and Empress of the Seas with a look back each ship's legacy.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

New RCB Video: Top 8 things people that cruise a lot say all the time!

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Top 8 things people that cruise a lot say all the time! — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Quantum of the Seas Live Blog

Did you know this week we have a live blog running from the only Royal Caribbean cruise ship sailing right now?

Our friends at Singapore Cruise Society are on Quantum of the Seas and sharing daily updates from the ship.

You can catch up on what it's like to be on a cruise ship with all of their updates:

• Quantum of the Seas Live Blog - Day 3 - Sea Day
• Quantum of the Seas Live Blog - Day 2 - Sea Day
• Quantum of the Seas Live Blog - Day 1 - Embarkation
• Live Blogging from Quantum of the Seas - Preamble

When Royal Caribbean announced it had sold Empress of the Seas, it did not say who bought it, but we might have an answer now.

An Indian cruise line, Cordelia Cruises, shared a message from its CEO to announce it has acquired Empress of the Seas.

The message was posted by Cordelia's CEO Jurgen Bailom, It gives me immense pleasure to inform you that Waterways Leisure Tourism Pvt Ltd. that recently acquired over the Jalesh Cruises brand, has decided to further capitalize the immense potential of cruising by entering in the Indian market with the Empress of the Seas, that belonged to the global giant Royal Caribbean International until recently. "

"With an individual capacity of 2,000 passengers, she has sailed many coastlines and high seas in her glorious past. I look forward to your support in continuing the legacy of Jalesh Cruises in upholding the spirit, culture, and value of "Incredible India" and being the evangelist of Joy by curating memorable cruise holidays that delight customers."

Read more: Royal Caribbean and fans say goodbye to two cruise ships

Thanks to unofficial website CrewCenter for spotting the news.

The announcement includes a photoshopped image of Empress of the Seas with the new logo onboard.

Royal Caribbean has only said it sold the ship (and Majesty of the Seas) to "an undisclosed party, based in Asia-Pacific."

The message had no mention of Majesty of the Seas, which leaves its new owner still unknown.

Mr. Bailom's message did say they are working on adding a second ship to the cruise line, but provided no further details.

Empress of the Seas was launched in 1990 (then known as Nordic Empress) by Royal Caribbean following the acquisition of Admiral Cruises.  She was designed specifically for the short cruise market, offering 3- and 4-night cruises to the Bahamas.

Empress went on to offer cruises to a number of destinations and accruing a series of accolades over the years.  She was the  first cruise ship to sail out of Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey when Royal Caribbean opened the terminal in 2004.  She was Royal Caribbean's first cruise ship to visit Cuba in 2017.

Read more: Two Royal Caribbean executives share stories from Empress and Majesty

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley lamented the loss of these classic ships, and their impact on the company.

"Empress and Majesty of the Seas made indelible marks on the cruise industry with their revolutionary design and size. Touted as the cruise industry’s most groundbreaking ships when they were introduced, they continued to make history throughout their more than three decades of service."

"Saying goodbye to these two beloved ships is a major moment in Royal Caribbean’s history – one that is difficult but necessary. With plans for new, innovative ships to join our fleet in the upcoming years, we look forward to our guests and crew continuing to make new memories with us."

Merry Christmas! While most of us are unable to be on a Royal Caribbean cruise this year, I wanted to share a look at some of the Christmas fun aboard the only cruise ship in the fleet sailing right now.

Quantum of the Seas is sailing a 4-night "cruise to nowhere" from Singapore, and the ship is celebrating Christmas at sea. Our friends at Singapore Cruise Society are onboard and shared photos of the goings on during the holiday.

Royal Caribbean decorates its ships quite nicely for the holidays, and each ship has a different look and feel for this special time of the year.

Christmas decorative fruit in the Windjammer

Santa meeting guests in Two70

Read more: How Royal Caribbean celebrates Christmas and New Years holidays on its cruise ships

More Christmas desserts in the Windjammer

Special Christmas cocktails

Crew hosting trivia with santa hats on

Tonight's Christmas dinner menu in the main dining room

All the crew members getting into the Christmas spirit

Be sure to follow along with our live blog going on this week from Quantum of the Seas!

As some of the guests on the White Island volcano shore excursion pursue legal action against Royal Caribbean for having offered the tour, the cruise line has asked the Australian government to have the cases heard there, and not in the United States.

A couple from the United States, Ivy and Paul Reed, filed a lawsuit in Miami after they were severely burned when the White Island volcano erupted while they were on a shore excursion there. Australians Marie and Stephanie Browitt have also filed a lawsuit in the US against the cruise line.

Royal Caribbean believes the ticket contract governing the voyage means courts in the Australian state of New South Wales are the only venue that can hear disputes over the incident.

On December 9, 2019, the White Island volcano erupted while tourists were visiting, including some on a shore excursion. The natural disaster killed 22 people, along with 25 additional injuries. Among the dead are Marie Browitt’s husband, Paul, and daughter, Krystal. 

Ovation of the Seas was visiting the port of Tauranga, a coastal city about 90 km (56 miles) from White Island.

A number of Royal Caribbean guests were touring the volcano on the day of the eruption.

The lawsuit alleges that Royal Caribbean was aware, or should have known, the volcano was dangerous but offered the tour anyway.

The Reeds and the Browitts have filed separate lawsuits in the US against Royal Caribbean, seeking damages for the disaster. The lawsuits are made under Florida’s wrongful death laws.

Royal Caribbean claims that both the Reeds and the Browitts are bound by ticket terms and conditions that restrict any legal action to the New South Wales courts, and that the legal cases filed in the United States should not move forward.

An Australian lawyer for the Browitts, Peter Gordon, claims the family never got a contract, "didn’t get a contract that said anything about where suits should be litigated."

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley offered cruisers a Christmas message of hope and gratitude.

Christmas and New Years is right around the corner, and Mr. Bayley sent an email to Crown and Anchor Society guests to wish them a good holiday season that centers on two common themes.

Mr. Bayley believes the words "hopeful" and "grateful" are key phrases that apply to what has happened this year.

First and foremost, Mr. Bayley thanked past cruisers for their loyalty to the cruise line that has served as motivation for the company, "your encouragement and enthusiasm for cruising has kept us going."

Of course, everyone wants to know when cruises might actually restart and the "hopeful" nature of his message spoke to the New Year's resolution that Mr. Bayley says Royal Caribbean is committed to seeing through, "We are hopeful for the future of Royal Caribbean International."

Your confidence in us, along with the hard work of our employees and partners around the world, will soon get us back to what we love to do. Cruising the oceans of the world and having your smiling faces onboard again is one New Year's resolution we plan to keep."

The email sent to guests includes a special video message from Royal Caribbean's cruise ship captains and crew ambassadors.

"They miss being onboard with you even more this time of year — so they’ve put together a special video with their best wishes."

Lastly, Royal Caribbean shared the recipe for a holiday cocktail they think will be great to enjoy this year, the cranberry margarita.

The recipe combines a Thanksgiving staple—cranberry—with the sweetness of honey to create a refreshing and vibrant drink.

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces tequila
• 3/4-ounce fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons cranberry sauce or jam
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Brown sugar-rimmed martini glass
• Lime wheel as garnish

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously.
• Strain into the sugar-rimmed glass, then top with a lime and enjoy!

It's still hard to believe we will say goodbye to Majesty of the Seas and Empress of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean announced last week it had sold two cruise ships signaling the end of an era for ships that had blazed a trail for the cruise line.

While eclipsed by larger ships these days, when both ships debuted in the early 1990s, they set the tone for the entire cruise industry with their new onboard amenities and enticing itineraries.

In announcing their departure, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said these vessels "made indelible marks on the cruise industry," and many cruise fans and cruise executives are mourning the loss of these epic ships.

To commemorate the role both ships played in taking Royal Caribbean from a somewhat still upstart cruise line into a new era of cruise vacations, I offer this look back at what made each ship special.

Empress of the Seas instant impact

Empress of the Seas (then known as Nordic Empress) joined Royal Caribbean first in 1990, and was the result of Royal Caribbean acquiring Admiral Cruises in 1988. 

More importantly, Empress was designed for the short cruise market, which is a concept that did not exist at the time. Most cruises were a week long, but Royal Caribbean wanted a tempting choice for consumers who were looking for weekend getaways to the Bahamas.

Raimund Gschaider is Royal Caribbean's Vice President of Hotel Operations today, but in 1991 he was the restaurant manager on Nordic Empress and he remembers vividly the immediate impact Empress had on the cruise market when she debuted.

"When she hit the market, she was it. It was just such a vibrant, such a party, such an exciting time to be for cruising in general."

While Empress was initially designed for short Bahamian cruises, she quickly became a hit anywhere Royal Caribbean sent her, offering cruises from Port Canaveral, San Juan and even New York.

Mr. Gschaider recalls how different a cruise to Bermuda was on Empress because of the fact she was small enough to visit the city of St. George's.

"St. George's has this really nice, very small harbor. And you get in and the entrance, it's literally you can touch either side, the rocks on either side when the ship goes in and you're in a very different part of Bermuda."

Read more: Royal Caribbean and fans say goodbye to two cruise ships

A trio of icons with Majesty of the Seas

Just like Empress, Majesty of the Seas and her sister Sovereign Class ships had an immediate impact on the cruise industry as well.

Known as the first "mega ships", Majesty of the Seas was the last of three Sovereign Class vessels to be built and Ken Rush, Royal Caribbean's Director of Entertainment Activities & Media Operations always felt the public areas on Majesty were a big hit with guests.

"When they built the Sovereign class and these three sisters, the Majesty, I have a lot of fond memories about it because I love the layout," Rush said as he looked back on Majesty. "These ships really gave us ideas for our future ships. We learned a lot from those ships."

Majesty of the Seas had the iconic Centrum area with glass elevators, sweeping staircases and fountains in marble pools, which was a brand new idea for the time. The ship's theater was significantly larger than on other ships, which meant the production shows brought an entirely new kind of entertainment to cruising.

Mr. Gschaider thinks ships like Majesty set the pace for the cruise line going forward, "The Majesty...certainly took cruising to a new level in the early nineties and set up Royal Caribbean."

Another first for Majesty of the Seas which was the first cruise ship to introduce the concept of a full ship charter, which has since become so important to Royal Caribbean's bottom line.

Read more: A last look at Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas

Trailblazing throughout their lifetime

Certainly both ships established their legacy early in the 1990s when they debuted, but their firsts were not limited to the last decade of the 20th century.  Empress and Majesty of the Seas also hold the distinction of being the only two ships to ever visit Cuba.

Empress of the Seas was brought back to Royal Caribbean after being a part of Pullmantur Cruises, and her sailings to Cuba brought about a new chapter in Caribbean cruising.

Shortly thereafter, Majesty of the Seas would also offer cruises to Cuba and for a short period of time, were the hottest cruise ticket around.

Mr. Gschaider believes the foresight to design and build cruise ships like Majesty and Empress were so important for their longevity, "Those ships have such good structure and layout and bones."

"Kudos to our executives, who have the vision to build ships with an extremely long lifespan and who can go for one or two cycles of revitalization and amplification and have the flexibility to take them into the next decade without losing a step."

Mr. Rush agreed that the viability of both ships is incredible, "The reason why these ships stay as great as they are is because of the onboard maintenance. It's just it's amazing how we keep it so fresh all the time."

Final months

After Cuba was no longer an option for American cruise lines, both ships were left without an obvious role in a world of giant cruise ships.

Majesty of the Seas was moved arround a bit, but ended her career with Royal Caribbean offering cruises from New Orleans.

Mr. Rush thinks cruises from the "Big Easy" were a great fit for Majesty, "We did Mardi Gras on board and the guests were just over the moon about it. So it is a shame that it's gone because that was a great run and a great time for all of our guests."

With Empress of the Seas, Royal Caribbean looked to try something completely different and offer more intimate and longer sailings to places most other ships in the fleet never visited, including voyages down the St. Lawrence River in Canada and a return to Bermuda.

Unfortunately, plans for both ships were cut short when the cruise industry shut down in March due to the global health crisis.

In the months since, Empress and Majesty were the subject of different rumors and speculation that they would be sold to generate much-needed cash flow. In fact, Empress of the Seas was falsely reported at least two times as being sold earlier in 2020.

The ships have been sold to an undisclosed party, based in Asia-Pacific, that will release details for future sailings at a later time.

Both Mr. Rush and Mr. Gschaider shared their memories of both ships, and what they think stands out about each vessel. Listen to episode 386 of our interview with Ken Rush and Raimund Gschaider in its entirety below.

Be sure to subscribe to the RoyalCaribbeanBlog Podcast at Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, and Stitcher.

A new sale begins today on add-on purchases for your Royal Caribbean cruise, where you can save up to 45% off onboard prices.

The Ring in the Savings sale runs between December 23, 2020 - January 6, 2021 and is valid on sailings between March 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021.

Here is what is included during the sale:

BEVERAGE: Up to 45% off

• Classic Soda Beverage Package: 40% off onboard prices.
• Classic Soda Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Discount varies by ship.
• Dasani Water Cans: 40% off onboard prices.
• Deluxe Beverage Package: 40% off onboard prices.
• Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: 40% off onboard prices.
• Refreshment Package: 40% off onboard prices.

SHORE EXCURSIONS: Up to 40% off

INTERNET: Up to 65% off

• The Key: Discount varies by ship
• VOOM Surf + Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship.
• VOOM Surf Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship. 

DINING: Up to 55% off

• Unlimited Dining Package on 3N – 9N sailings: Discount varies by ship.

ACTIVITIES: Up to 20% off (Excludes Grandeur of the Seas)

• All Access Ship Tour (Sailings from 4/1/21 - 12/31/21)

Gifts & Gear: Up to 50% Off (excl. Ovation & Voyager of the Seas)

• Anniversary Decorations with Champagne
• Happy Birthday Decorations with Chocolate Cake & Strawberries
• Happy Birthday Decorations with Vanilla Cake & Strawberries
• Inky Beach Set
• Inky Beach Towel (TicTacToe)
• Inky Travel Set
• Red Wine and Cheese
• Royal Caribbean Beach Towel
• Strawberries with Champagne
• White Wine and Cheese

PHOTO PACKAGES: Up to 70% off

• Photo Packages: From 5 - 100 print and/or digital options: discount varies by ship. (See full terms for exclusions)
•  Photo Package: Private Photo Session: discount varies by ship. (See full terms for exclusions)

SPA PACKAGES: Up to 30% off

• Spa Packages: Up to 30% off onboard prices

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Keep in mind that not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.

If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.

More helpful information

• Should you buy pre-cruise purchases now or wait to buy it onboard?
• 45 ways to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• How much should I budget for a cruise?

This has been the craziest year for the cruise industry ever, and there were plenty of headlines that got plenty of attention.  So what were the biggest stories of the year?

This past year has been a "tale of two cities", with traditional cruise news in the very beginning, and then of course the rest of the year was a myriad of shutdown updates.

Looking back on the year, I handpicked the top stories that I thought generated the most buzz and interest among cruisers, and the general public. Let's dive in!

10. Majesty of the Seas and Empress of the Seas sold

Royal Caribbean just announced it sold two cruise ships last week, and it was a big enough deal to make the list of this year's top Royal Caribbean stories.

After months of speculation, Royal Caribbean announced it has sold its two oldest cruise ships, Majesty of the Seas and Empress of the Seas.

It appears the ships have been sold, but not scrapped.  Royal Caribbean says they now belong to an undisclosed party, based in Asia-Pacific, that will release details for future sailings at a later time.

9. Cruise lines vs. the CDC

Since the cruise industry voluntarily shut itself down in March, it has been at odds with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over how and when cruises would resume.

In the 9 months since the industry shutdown, the CDC has raised its anti-cruise rhetoric by warning the public against taking cruises.

Between special travel warnings and summaries in the various No Sail orders, the agency regularly told people not to go on a cruise anywhere in the world, "because the risk of COVID-19 on cruise ships is very high."

The CDC has warned the public against taking cruises since March due to the global health emergency, but has steadily increased its warnings from an alert, to a watch, to a warning and now simply a "Very High Level of COVID-19".

The CDC did rescind its cruise ship ban at the end of October, although there has been little to no progress in cruise lines moving towards sailings restarting.

8. Key West voted to ban most cruise ships

Unfortunately the residents of Key West voted to approve a referendum to prohibit large cruise ships from visiting their island.

Three different referendums to limit cruise ship traffic passed, which will ban large cruise ships completely, as well as limit small cruise ship traffic.

All three were approved by majorities of more than 60 percent, with the "giving priority to cruise lines that have the best environmental and health records" proposal passing at over 80%.

7. Introducing the electronic muster safety drill

Perhaps the best innovation to come out of this year was a new cruise ship safety drill that relies on technology.

Known as Muster 2.0, Royal Caribbean revealed its plans to implement a new way to conduct the mandatory guests safety drill, known as the muster drill. 

With Muster 2.0, the new tech will be used to help provide the information to guests via their mobile devices and interactive stateroom TVs.

Travelers will be able to review the information at their own time prior to setting sail, eliminating the need for the traditional large group assemblies. 

6. Cruise with Confidence

Another good change for consumers was the introduction of the Cruise with Confidence program, which allows for last-minute cancellations without penalties.

If a guest cancels under the policy, they will receive a full credit for their fare, usable on any future sailing of the guest's choice.

This includes refundable or non-refundable cruise fares.  You are able to take advantage of either booking type with no penalty or change fee for opting into the Cruise with Confidence program.

5. Coco Beach Club opens

The year 2020 started off well when the final piece of Perfect Day at CocoCay opened to the public.

The exclusive Coco Beach Club opened to guests at the end of January, which offers an oceanfront infinity pool, upgraded cuisine and the only floating cabanas in the Bahamas. 

Plus, there is a complimentary restaurant at Coco Beach Club featuring lobster, snapper, and steak— plus a buffet of soups, salads, and starters. 

Entry to the Coco Beach Club requires an additional cost. Guests can choose between a day pass to the Coco Beach Club, as well as the option to reserve a cabana or floating cabana.

4. Royal Amplifications postponed cruise ships until further notice

The financial impact of the cruise industry shutdown forced Royal Caribbean to postpone its scheduled ship refurbishments until further notice.

Royal Amplifications for four cruise ships are on hold, including Allure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas.

Guests on affected sailings will be notified directly more details and options available.

3. Freedom of the Seas completes $116 million Royal Amplification

Perhaps the last hurrah of cruising before everything shutdown, Freedom of the Seas wrapped up a massive shipwide upgrade.

The ship underwent a bow to stern makeover, with new features being added including water slides, a new Caribbean pool deck look, the cruise line’s first Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and new, dedicated spaces for kids and teens. 

Freedom of the Seas was able to offer one sailing before the rest of cruises for the year were cancelled.

2. Royal Caribbean asks for volunteers for test cruises

Royal Caribbean got an incredible amount of attention when it announced they would take sign-ups from the public to be a volunteer for a test cruise.

The cruise line has a form set up for adults only (18 years or older) to enter basic information about themselves.

While Royal Caribbean is working with the CDC to determine how the test sailings will operate, they have decided to begin gathering information from those who have shown interest.

1. Royal Caribbean cancels all cruises beginning in March

Without a doubt, the biggest story of the year was when Royal Caribbean cancelled all of its cruises due to the global health crisis.

At first, it was just for 30 days, which was big enough news in and of itself.  However, the shutdown went on to extend longer than anyone would have thought in March.

As of the writing of this post, cruises will not be able to restart until March 2021 at the earliest.

Your thoughts

What did you think was the biggest Royal Caribbean news of 2020? Did we miss one? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

While many cruise fans would love to get back on a cruise ship, a majority feel certain factors need to occur first to make them feel comfortable in getting onboard.

CruiseCritic released the results of its State of the Cruise Industry Report, which looks at what its readership has been saying about cruises since April.

The study asked over 3,000 people with varying degrees of cruise experience questions about how, when, and why they will book a cruise.

A major topic for anyone who is considering going on a cruise is what factors would make someone feel more comfortable to get back onboard.

The top three results were:

1. Minimal or no reported active COVID-19 cases in the area (68%)
2. Strict protocols for leaving and returning to the ship (63%)
3. COVID-19 vaccine (60%)

It shows cruise fans and those with an interest in going on a cruise ship still are interested in going on a cruise, albeit with certain changes in place.

The cruise industry remains largely shut down, and will continue for another few months at the very least.

In fact, 66% of people that took the survey had a "favorable response" to the Healthy Sail Panel list of 74 recommendations for cruise ships to be able to sail safely.

Cruisers felt most strongly about three key areas of new rules:

1. Sanitation and ventilation (81%)
2. Testing, screening and exposure reduction (76%)
3. Response, contingency planning and execution (60%)

Moreover, the more someone has cruised, the more likely they are to want to get back onboard as soon as possible, "Those who have taken 10+ cruises are 18% more likely to book a future cruise than those who have taken one cruise or fewer."

The study found one-third of those surveyed are already looking to book a cruise and 81% say they will book a future cruise. 

Speaking of booking, when someone does want to book a cruise, the top consideration is price, then destination, and then the cancellation policy.

Being able to cancel a cruise easily rose dramatically compared to last year's survey results, with the study seeing a 17% increase as an important consideration.

You can read the summary of the study's findings on CruiseCritic.

While airlines are going to get $15 billion in additional payroll support from a new stimulus package, the cruise industry that has been shutdown for 9 months will be getting no financial aid.

A new bipartisan $900 billion coronavirus aid package is being finalized in Congress that includes federal assistance for households, small businesses and health-care providers. They have not yet released text of the legislation, which they hope to pass in the next day.

While the details are still being sorted out, the airline industry will get its second financial bump, after receiving $25 billion in payroll support under the $2.2 trillion CARES Act in March.

After the CARES Act money ran out, airlines began furloughing workers. In order to take advantage of the new aid package, airlines would have to recall more than 32,000 workers who were furloughed this fall.

In addition to airline aid, the new stimulus package includes $1 billion for airline contractors, $2 billion for airports and concessionaires, $14 billion for transit, $10 billion for state highways, $1 billion for Amtrak and $2 billion for private bus, school bus and ferry companies.

Meanwhile, the cruise industry does not appear to be included in the new stimulus package, despite the cruise industry supporting 436,600 American jobs, paying $24.4 billion in wages, and generating $55.5 billion in economic activity in 2019.

Cruise lines were left out of the CARES Act stimulus as well in March.

Over the summer, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain dismissed any plans to rely on federal assistance to work though the current cruise industry shutdown.

"We started with a strong balance sheet. We've taken a lot of steps to improve our liquidity. We've taken a lot of steps to bring our costs under control," Mr. Fain said bluntly. "It's a very painful process we've gone through."

"But we're doing that without relying on the US government. We're doing that on our own."

Lawmakers will now move to vote on the proposal, along with a full-year government spending bill.

It is worth noting that Skift reported the UK entity of Royal Caribbean Group, "received millions of pounds of state assistance as part of a program known as the Covid Corporate Financing Facility."